Automatically-regulated heating system.



D. J. POWERS.

AUTOMATICALLY REGULATED HEATING SYSTEM.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT.11, 1907.

Patented June 14, 1910.

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APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 11, 1907.

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D. J. POWERS.

AUTOMATICALLY REGULATED HEATING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 11, 1907.

961,?34 Patented June 14,1910

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DONALD J. PtlWEBS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATICALLY-REGJULATED HEATING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 14, 1910.

Application filed September 11, 1907. Serial No. 392,266. v g

To all whom it may concern:

, Be it known that I, DONALD J. POWERS, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New Yorlr and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatically-Regulated Heating Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in automatically controlled orregulated. heating systems. In systems of the general. character towhich this invention pertains it has heretofore been proposed to providea plurality of heating sections or radiators to the action ofwhich theheating air drawn from outof-doors is subjected on its'way to theapartments; and to provide a thermostat, for each of the severalradiators or.heating units,

located out-of-doors or where they are subject to the outsidetemperature and-set to bring the radiators into operation s ngly ortogether, as .determined by the outside tem- More commonly, however, the

and the engineer is depended upon for turning on and off the heatingunits as requlred. The use of a plurality of radiators each controlledbyits own thermostat involves certain serious objections. For example:it is in practice necessary to vary-the temperatures at which theseveral heating units or radiators will come into operation, to com-'pensatefor changes due to weather cond1-' Wheretions other than meretemperature. a separate thermostat is employed to govern each regulatorit will be obviousthat if the several elements of the system are to bekept in proper correlation to each other, then'the entire set ofthermostats must be changed,

. i. c. regulated, whenever any one is regulated, and this regulation isnecessarily largely dependent upon judgment andsub ject to the errors ofthe judgment. Again,

the chances of imperfect operation of'the apparatus are greatlymultiplied by the use of separate thermostats and independent con-'nections, and it is obvious that the failure- 'ula'tion of all oftheheating units through of a single thermostatic element cooperatingwith a motive fluid supplied in such manner that as the.temperaturerises from its mini mum to its maximum, the heating unitswill be successively cut out of operation, and vice versa, as thetemperature falls the several heating units will be brought intooperation in the reversed order.

Secondary objects of the invention are to provide a system in which theadjustment of the main controlling thermostatic ele ment effects aproperly proportioned modification of the heating effect of the entiresystem; to provide a system so organized that while the thermostaticelement is exposed to the outside temperature all of the motive fluidsystem controlled thereby is arranged within the building and protectedagainst radical changes of temperature and the difficulties of operationincident thereto;

to provide a system which is pneumatic throughout practically all of itsorganiza-- tion and admitsof the use of thoroughly To the above ends theinvention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims. I

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a diagram.- matical view showing the severalfeatures of the system in cooperative relation; the severalinstrumentalities being largely indicated diagrammatically; Fig. 2 is asecond diagrammatioal view showing more particudemonstrated practicalinstruments of the prior art-for carrying the system into effect.

larly the pipe connections between the oonf trolling thermostat and therelays, and between the latter and the valve controlling motors; Fig.'3' is a view showing in section the external wall of the building with.the thermostat applied to extend through the wall; the thermostat andone of the relays being shown in side elevation in the view; Fig. 4 is acentral vertical sectional detail through the body'an-d valve mechanismof one of the relays; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view inface elevation ofone of the relays, showing in dotted lines the air ducts; Fig; 6 is aview partly in side elevation but chiefly in central vertical section ofthe main controlling thermostat; Fig.' 7 is a View chiefly in faceelevation but partly in section of the thermostat. In the preferred andparticular embodiment of the invention illustrated, the heat-- ingsystem is primarily controlled or regulated by the out-of-doortemperature condithe op osite side 0 I tions, but in its broader as ectthe invention the drawings, 1 designates as a whole the controllingthermostat, which is so constructed as to combine with its expansibleelement, mechanism controllin a pneumatic system of motive fluid, anhereinafter termed as a whole a pressure varying mechanism. Thethermostat shown, in so far as its ex ansible element and control by thelatter 0 thepressure varying mechanism are concerned, is substantiallythe same as that shown and described in Patent No. 764,819, granted toWilliam P. Powers .July 12th, 1904. In the thermostat of that patent,however, a secondary control of the motive fluid is provided forinsuring the turning on of full pressure to a motor controlled there--by whenever the pressure transmit-ted through the primary controlarrives at a predetermined stage. In the invention now to be describedthere is an analogous secondary control of the motive fluid, but thissecondarycontrolis accomplished through the medium of a series of relaysoperating independently of each other and under control of thethermostat, though entirely separated therefrom. These relays are ingeneral construction and principles of operation analogous to thesecondary control mechanism of the thermostat 01 said Patent No.764,819.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 6 and 7, 2 designates a frameplate, 3 a tubular frame extension connected with the central part ofthe plate and extending at right angles therefrom, and 4 a bridge framemember mounted u on the frame plate at f the tubular extension; these tree members constituting the main frame of the device. A detachableskeleton cover 5 is arranged to protect the mechanism upon'the frontside of the plate, as usual. An inner tube orsleeve 6 is mounted toextend through the tubular frame extension 3 and is susceptible ofendwise movement therein, and upon the end of this inner tube ismounteda yoke frame 7, within which is su orted a hollow expansion disk 8contamlng a volatile liquid, which will be partly converted into gas ata temperature somewhat below that -at which the thermostat is designedto come into action; th1s expansion disk per 86 being of well understoodconstruetion. The outer side of this disk rests at its center against afixed support, as 9, while its opposite face engages the end of anactuating rod 10 mounted to extend loosely through the inner tube 6 andinto proximity to the inner side of the centralpart of the bridge frame4. Within the bridge frame is formed a chamber 11, one

side of which is formed by a flexible diaphragm 12 having its peripheryclamped to the frame, as indicated at 13, and its central portionconnected with a valve housing 14. Through the valve housing is formed aport through which extends a vent valve 15 which operates against a seat16 and so closes the ventpassage. Valve 15 is acted upon by a coiledspring 17 tending to normally lift it from its seat. Within a nipplelikeextension upon the outer side of the frame member 4 is formed a chamber18,

port terminating in a valve seat 19 surrounding a reduced part of theport. An admission valve 20 extends through this -port and is normallyheld against the seat '19 to close the port by ,means of a coiledexpansion spring '21 interposed between the head of the valve and ascrew-cap 21. The tip of the valve 20 projects through the portinto thechamber 11 in position to be engaged by the head of the vent valve 15.

Two ducts 22 and 23 (see Fig. 7) are and from this chamber a port orpassage extends to chamber 11; the inner end of this '80 formed toextend through the upper half of the bridge frame, one 0 these, 23,communicating with the valve chamber 18 and the other with the chamber11, as indicated in dotted lines at 24. The outer end of duct I 23communicates with a supply pipe 26, and

similarly duct 22 communicates with a pipe 25 which delivers air to theseries of relays to be hereinafter described.

Assuming air to be supplied through pipe 26 and duct 23 undersubstantially constant pressure, normally the admission valve 20 wouldbe closed and entrance of the air to the chamber thus prevented, whilethe vent valve 15, if the expansion disk be sufficiently collapsed, willbe open. If, now, the expansion disk expands under a rise'of temperaturesufficiently to move the actuating rod 10, the latter will engage andforce inwardly the valve housing 14, first seating and closing the ventvalve (the spring of the latter being Weaker than that controlling theadmission valve) and thereafter through the engagemenfof valve 15 withthe admission valve, lift the latter and so admit pressure to chamber11. The pressure in this chamber acting on its diaphragm will oppose theexpansive action of the disk, and as soon as sufiicient pressure isadmitted to counterbalance that exerted by the expansion disk, thediaphragm of chamber 11 will" be forced outwardly by spring 18, and theadmission valve will return to its seat. Should the outside temperaturecontinue to rise, the expansion disk will presently again open theadmission valve and equilibrium again be established at a higherressure.

In other words; the pressure obtaining in chamber 11 and that part ofthe system beyond and in communication with that chamand the tubularframe member 6 which carries the expansion disk. To this end the tubularframe 6 is adjustably connected and held in fixed relation to the mainframe through the medium of an adjusting lever 27, the upper end ofwhich is forked to .embrace the end of the frame member 6 and connectedwith the latter by means of a through-pin 28 extending through saidforks. In order that this through-pin may not interfere with freemovement of the actuating rod, the latter is longitudinally slot ted, asindicated at 29, to receive the throughpin. The lower end of lever 27 issupported upon a rotatable adjusting screw 30 and its intermediateportion -fulcrumed against a stud 31 mounted in the lower part of thebridge frame 4. The forked upper end of thelever is actuated .by aplate-spring 32 secured thereto and bearing against the upper part ofthe bridge frame. By rotating the adjusting screw, the lever 27 isoscillated positively, in one direction against the tension of thespring 32 and in the other with the spring, thus shifting the tubularframe 6 bodily. Inasmuch as this amounts to effecting a relativeapproach or departure between the expansion disk and actuating rod, thedesired adjustmentis efi'ected. A gradureferring more particularly toFigs. 4 and 5,

ated disk 34 is secured upon the adjusting screw 30 and coiiperates witha fixed pointer or indicating mark. 35 upon the bridge frame. The end ofscrew 30 is squared to receive a key whereby it may be actuated. Theduct 22 which leads to the set of relays is provided with a cap 36whereby itmay be opened to test whether or not the mbtive fluid ispassing through the controlling thermostat or pressure-varyingmechanism.

Describing next the construction of one of the relays (all ofthem beinalike except that they are by adjustment 0 their springs set to operateat different pressures), and

40 designates a disk-shaped main body provided at its center with ahub-like enlargement, within which is formed a by-pas's valve chamber41, the outer end of which is closed by a cap 42 clamped in position bya screw ring 43. Cap 42 is provided axially with a valve port which iscontrolled by a bypass valve 44, and a cross passage 45 formedin the capcommunicates at one end with the port controlled by valve 44 and at itsopposite end with an annular channel 46 in the cap. Channel 46 overliesa corresponding channel 47 formed in the main body, and a duct 48 leadsdownwardly from the upper end of the main body (see Fig. 5) through thelatter to, and communicates with, the

channel 47. A packing disk is interposed between cap 42 and the mainbody, this disk being apertured to afiordfree communication between thechannels 46 and 47, as seen clearly. in the drawing. The-sides of thebypass valve 44 are channeled so that as soon as the valve leaves itsseat or bearing against the end of the port, communication is established between the duct 48 and the chamber 41. From the chamber 41 aduct 49 leads out through the body of the valve, as indicated clearly inFigs. 4 and 5.

The back face of the valve body 40 is slightly recessed over arelatively'large area,- and over this is arrangedto lie a flexiblediaphragm 50 to which is secured a diaphragm plate 51 of nearly the samearea as the diaphragm chamber 52 formed by the recess referred to, whichit overlies. The periphery of the diaphragm issecured t0 the valve body40' by a suitable ring, as indicated at 53, and the center of thediaphragm is secured to an externally threaded valve sleeve 54 between aclamping nut 55 and a space ring 56. Thediaphragm chamber 52 isseparated from the chamber 41 by a smaller flexible diaphragm 57 havingitsperiphery suitably secured to the valvebody 40, and its centralportion secured to the valve sleeve 54; the latter being for thispurpose headed at its inner end, and the diaphragm 57 interposed betweenthe space ring 56 and the flange of the head. Valve sleeve 54 is axiallybored to receive a stem valve 58; the

outer end of the valve sleeve terminating in ried thereby is normallypressed inwardly by means of a duplex star-shaped spring 62 having .itscentral portion connected with the valve sleeve 54 and its severalradial arms engaged with adjustable studs 63 carried by brackets uponthe ring 53 and which overhang the diaphragm plate. From the diaphragmchamber 52 a duct 64 leads out through the main valve body 40, as shownclearly in Fig. 5.

The operation ofthe relay is as follows: Assuming that the duct 64 ofthe relay be connected with the pipe 25 which contains motive fluidunder graduated pressure; that the duct 48 be connected-with a part ofthe main supply pipe containing air under the full or unmodifiedpressure, and that the 'duct 49 be connected with a pipe leadin to thevalve motor which is to be actuat through the relay, the by-pass valve44 will normally be closed and the diaphragm chamber 52 subject to thereduced pressure transmitted through the thermostat. If,

now, the pressure in chamber 52 rises sufficiently to force backthelarger diaphragm, the initial movement will result in closing valve 58(which is normally open) and thereafter permit valve 44 to open.Thereupon pressure will be admitted through duct 48 to the by-passchamber, thus adding this pressure to that already obtaining in chamber52 and accordingly forcing the diaphragm 50 far enough out to fully openthe port controlled by valve 44. An ample flow of motive fluid will thenpass out through the by-pass chamber and passa e 49 to the valve motor,and this will resu tin shutting off the articular heat unit controlledby that va ve motor. Should a fall in temperature ensue, thethermostaticallycontrolled variable-pressure mechanism will by itsautomatic venting action hereinbefore described reduce the pressure inchamber 52,

' whereupon the diaphra ms of that chamber will move inwardly un er theaction of the spring 62, first closin valve 44, thus shutting ofl theflow of ful pressure to the valve-' relays may be of any suitableconstruction which will respond to the pressure of ,the

motive fluid transmitted thereto through the relays, as hereinbeforedescribed; such valve motors being well known in this art. De-

scribed in general terms, they are diaphragm.

motors,-each having its diaphragm directly connected to the stem-of theradiator valve which it controls; the diaphragm being subject to thepneumatic pressure on one side and acted upon by one or more expansionsprings on the other side. The tendency of the spring or springs is tocollapse the diaphragm against the pneumatic pressure,

open the connected radiator valve, and thus turn on the heat.

Referring now to diagrammatic Fig. 1 wherein the several features of thesystem are'shown connected, the primary thermosupplies air to, thethermostat.

stat with its group of associated relays is shown as mounted upon theinner surface of t the wall .of a building, it being understood that theexpansion disk is located outside the building and operatively connectedwith the thermostat through the wall, after the manner shown in detailin Fig. 3. I The details of the pipe connections with the primarythermostat and several relays are best shown in Fig. 2, in which it willbe seen that the supply pipe 65, from the source-of air or other motivefluid under constant pressure, connects with a cross-pipe 65, from whichbranches lead to and connect with the central ducts 48 of each of therelays. Another branch 26 (see Fig. 6) connects with, and

delivery side of the thermostat, pipe 25 leads to, and connects with, across-pipe '66 pro-.

vided with branches leadin to, and connecting with, the ducts 64 seeFig. 5) of each of the several relays.- From the opposite or deliveryside of each relay, (duct 49) a pipe, as 67, 68, 69 and 70, leads to,and connects with, one or more corresponding valve motors 71. Forconvenience of illustration the several relays are designated 0, 20, 40and 65, and for ease of identification the valve motors connected withthe several relays are correspondingly marked; such marking indicating,in the example given, that as the temperature rises from below zeroupwardly, the several relays will bring the corresponding valve motorsinto operation at the several stages of temperature at which they areset to operate and close their respective valves, and, vice versa, asthe temperature falls, the several relays will actuate the valve motorsto cut in the heating units successively.

Two groups of heating coils are shown, the smaller groupdesignatedtempering coils and the largergroup coils. The tempering coils arelocated'i-n the air admission passage between the point of entrance ofair to the building and the fan 72, which induces the circulation. Themain heating coils are arranged, as shown, in the main discharge passageor duct leading from the fan or blower. In order that part of the airadmitted fromthe outside may pass to the fanv or blower without-pre Fromthe main heating low the tempering coils, which passage is controlled bya damper 74 in a manner hereinafter described. In a somewhat similarmanner a by-pass 75 is provided below the group of main heating coils,which latter passage leads to a chamber 76 below the main delivery duct77, and which may be conveniently termed a tem ered air chamher. Thedelivery end o the main discharge duct 77-is connected with the severaltrunks, (of which one 78 is shown) which lead to the several apartmentsto. be supopenings,

; which operates plied; The tempered air chamber is common to, andcommunicates with,,each of these several distributing ducts 78 throughas 7 9, severally controlled by individual dam ers 80. The entrance toeach distributing not 78 is likewise controlled by' a damper 81, and asshown the dampers 80 and 81 'are coupled by means of links 82,'orothersuitable mechanical connection, so as to movetogether. Inpassing,-it is to be remarked that each pair of dampers .80, 81, iscontrolled by a-thermostat 88, located in the particularapartment servedby the distributing duct in question; each thermostat 83 being connectedback to a damper motor 84 its pair of dampers, in a manner clearly shownin the drawings and perfectly understood in this art. The arrangementthat as they move together-they assume positions which vary theproportions of hot air admitted from the main discharge duct andtempered air admitted from the tempered air chamber.

In connectionwith'the foregoing description, a brief statement of theoperation will render the inter-relations of the several features clear.Assume an outside temperature of say 35 and the temperature rising: Insuch event the two relays designated 65. and 40, respectively, will havetheir supply valves closed and the waste valves open, and thecorresponding valve motors will be open, and the heating coilscontrolledby said mo-' tors in operation. In the 'instanee shown there will be twomain heatingcoils and one tempering coil in operation. If, now, the

temperature continues to rise until it reaches 40, the thermostat willafford suflicient pressure to operate the 40"relay, the valve of whichwill thereupon open and admit the air pressure to the two correspondingvalve motors and thus shut 0H one of the tempering .coils and one of themain heating coils.

.If the temperature continues to rise sufficiently to bring the relayinto operation, all heat will be shut off. Vice versa, should thetemperature fall, the corresponding contraction of the expansion disk ofthe ther' mostat will result in venting andlowering the pressuretransmittedto-the several re lays, in a manner hereinbefore fullydescribed, and thereupon the diaphragm chambers of the latter willsucccssively collapse under the action of their springs, thus relievingthe corresponding valve motors of pneumatlc pressure and allowing thesprlngs of the latter to open-the valves and turnon the heat.

One of the tempering coils is controlled by a motor 86 which is in turncontrolled by a. compound thermostat 85 located in the tempered airchamber 76, this motor being for convenience marked 65 to correspondwith the temperature at which the comof each pair of dampers is such'pound thermostat, which is likewise marked, is, in the illustration, setto act. The tempering damper 74 hereinbefore referred to is alsocontrolled by the same .compound thermostat 85 but through the medium ofa damper motor '87 which requires no special description, stood in thisart. The compound thermostat is, or maybe, of the type andconstruc-.tion shown and described in Fi s. 1 and 2 of Patent No. 764,819, issuedto William P. Powers J uly 12, 1904. Described briefly, this thermostatprovides a primary graduated control of the air by a mechanism which isessentially the same as that of the thermostat shown and described inthe pres-' ent application, and also provides a secondary control of theair (tosecure positiveness of action) through a mechanism which per.-forms substantially the same function as does one oil-the relaysdescribed in the present application.

A supply pipe 88 delivers air to the thermostat 85,'a gra livers airunder graduated pressure from the thermostat to the damper motor 87 andoscillates the damper to an extent proportional to the degree ofpressure transmitted, and a positive pressure pipe 90 delivers air "fromthe thermostat 85 to the motor 86 ,which is, or may be, identical withthe, other motors of the system hereinbefore described.

' In operation, itwill'be obvious that whenbeing common and wellunderduatd pressure pipe 89 del ever. an additional one of the temperingI coils is either cut into operation or cut out of operation the airdelivered to the. tempering chamber 76 'will be correspondinglymodified, and it is the function of the'graduating damper 74 to modifythe abruptness of these changes in temperature by, admitting anincreased or decreased amount of cold air through the by-pa'ss 73.Assuming one'of the tempering 0011s 'to be out in, the compoundthermostat185 responding to the increase of temperature, will admitincreased pressure to the damper motor 87 and-open the d'amper 74.wider; and the increased proportion of. cool air will tend to 'restorevthe tempering chamber to normal.

Yice-versmas the temperature in the temperlng chamber decreases by thecutting out of a temperlng coil, damperj74 will be moved toward a closedposition.

"From the foregoing. it will be understood thatthe system as a whole is.entirely automatic, and the several regulating instrumentalities are sointerconnected and interrelated that proper conditions are maintainedthroughout. Furthermore, whenever during different seasons of the yearit is found desirable to modify the ultimate temperature of the airdelivered to the apartments, it is only necessary for the engineer toadjust the single main thermostat as to the temmrature at which itwill-come into operation, and by so doing he will have adjusted-ormodified the whole regime of the system and at the same time preservedue and proper relations between the several parts thereof.

By reason of the arrangement adopted the controlling thermostat islocated outside the building where it is properly and instantlyresponsive to changes in the weather, and obviously regulates theheating effect in direct relation to the temperature of'the outside airwhich is being admitted; the arrangement of the pressure varying mech-'the actuation of the relays by means of a graduated pressure isparticularly important 1nv this respect, viz: That should a relay byreason of misadjustment,mechanical friction, corroslon, or for otherreasons, refuse to 0 rate at the particular pressure at whic it isintended to operate, the system is in no 'spnse disabled because thevery condition f0 lowing will insure the continued increase of pressuretransmitted to therelay by the thermostat until it does operate, oruntil some other relay in the series operates,

' and so brings into operationan additional v, to

heating unit.

I claim as my invention: 1. In an automatically re lated heating system,the combination 0 an expansive fluid thermostatic element, motive fluidpressure-varying mechanism controlled by said thermostaticelementembodying automatic- .ally acting valve mechanismwhereby thepressure transmitted therethrough is opposed to, counterbalanced anddetermined. by the variable pressure of the ex ansive fluid thermostaticelement, a series 0 relays connected in common with the variablepressure side of said pressure varying mechanism and. operable atdifferent stages ofpressure,

valve motors controlled by said several relays, radiators independentlyand severally controlled'by said'valve motg rs, means for circulatingair in heat-absorb ng proximity to said radiators, a. source of unheatedair supply leading'to the supply of air heated by said radiators, agraduatmg damper. controlling said source"of ii gheated. air, and athermostat subject to the ,heat of the air g heated by said radiatorsand arranged to automatically control said graduating damvalve motors,an expansive fluid thermos I static element located subject to theoutside 4 temperature, a motive fluid pressure-varyingmechanism-controlled by said thermostatic element to transmit motorfluid under ressure to actuate the several relays, means or impellingand circulating air in heatabsorbing proximity to said radiators, meansfor admit-ting un-heated air to the warmed air which has passed theradiators, a thermostat subject to the heat of said warmed air, andautomatic damper'mechanism con-.

trolling the admission of unr-heated air and itself controlled-by saidlatter thermostat.

3. In combination with a buildingto'be heated provided with an airheating chamber through whichthe supply of air, enters, an air-impellerarrangedwithin said chamber, a plurality of radiators in proximitytowhich the entering air passes on its way to the impeller, a secondseries of radiatorsin proximity to which the air is directed by saidimpeller, a series of valve motors controlling the several mentionedradiators and normally tending to open the latter, aseries ofpneumatically controlled relays operable I at different stages ofpressure and connected 'to transmit motive fluid under pressure to saidvalve motors, an expansive fluid ther mostatic element located subjectto the outside temperature, a' motive fluid pressurevarying mechanismcontrolled by said thermostatic element and itself serving to transmitmotor actuating pressures to the several relays, a by-pass for admittingun-heated air past Lhefi'rst set of radiators to said airimpeller, anautomatic damper controlling said by-pass, and a thermostat, subject tothe heat ofthe air passing onward from the airimpeller, and opera'tivelyconnected to control said damper. p

DONALD J; PQWERS.

, Witnesses: s r l Douems MAoCAL p

